Chelsea came from behind to beat Sheffield United 4-1 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, as goals from Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Timo Werner saw the home side claim three points that takes them up to third in the table.
Match Summary
Sheffield attacker David McGoldrick, who scored his first Premier League goal against Chelsea last season, opened the scoring early on with a clever back heeled finish from close range after a well worked short corner.
The home side didn’t find themselves behind for long and hit back through Tammy Abraham, who’s bouncing effort found the corner to make it 1-1.
It was Ben Chilwell who gave Chelsea the lead, completing a first half turn around after scoring from close range following a devilish ball in from Hakim Ziyech, a trend that continued throughout the night.
It took until the final 15 minutes of the game for the Blues to secure all three points, as Thiago Silva headed home his first Chelsea goal, from another Ziyech ball in, before Timo Werner wrapped up the scoring moments later with a ruthless finish from the edge of the area.
Pre-Match
Frank Lampard’s team selection started to have a familiar feel to it, with a sense of consistency growing now, especially across the backline where Edouard Mendy and co. were looking to add to their run of clean sheets.
Once again, it was the attacking trio of Timo Werner, Tammy Abraham and Hakim Ziyech leading the line, with Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic in the midfield – the Croat the only change as he replaced Jorginho from the midweek win over Rennes.
First Half
After a quick start to the game from both sides, it was Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell who almost opened the scoring after just three minutes, forcing a good save from Ramsdale in the Sheffield United goal after Reece James’ cross travelled all the way through the box to his opposite full-back.
With just less than 10 minutes on the clock, Chelsea’s hopes of extending the clean sheet run was out of the window as David McGoldrick, who was at the double when the Blades ran out 3-0 winners last time the two teams faced each other, opened the scoring and gave the visitors the lead.
It was a wonderful goal that you wouldn’t expect from a side sat bottom of the table who have barely scored all season. Sheffield worked a short corner well which led to George Baldock cutting the ball back to the edge of the box for Sander Berge, who’s shot was helped on it’s way by a McGoldrick back heel that beat Mendy and went in.
Any hopes of a simple evening against the side bottom of the lead were now gone for Lampard and his team, who would now have to prove their character and come from behind to get anything out of the game.
It took little more than 10 minutes for Chelsea to force their way back into the game, coming from a player who is quietly having another good start to a season, Tammy Abraham. The number nine was on hand to convert into the far corner from Kovacic’s cut back, after the Croatian had been found brilliantly by a long Hakim Ziyech ball.
It wasn’t the cleanest of strikes from Abraham, who hit the ball into the ground which sent it bouncing into the far corner for the Englishman’s second goal at the Bridge this week and his fourth of a campaign where he hasn’t been a regular starter.
Timo Werner almost completed the turn around on the half hour mark, profiting off of a dangerous Ziyech in swinger, picking up the rebound off of Ramsdale and striking the bar from a tight angle.
Despite being in the early stages of his Chelsea career, the cut inside and cross from Ziyech has already proved to be influential since the Moroccan’s return from injury and just a couple of minutes after the Werner chance, the winger was carving out another opportunity. This time it was an even better ball in, which had the Sheffield defence back peddling as the ball dropped in between the ‘keeper and back line, causing confusion that Chilwell capitalised on to touch it home from close range.
Whilst not exactly being an ideal start to a football match, a turn around still within the first half reflects positively on the mentality of the side, and also the ability across the front line to create and take chances.
The Sheffield United threat had now been almost totally nullified as half time approached and Chilwell, hardly known for being prolific in front of goal, almost doubled his tally as another Chelsea set piece caused issues. Ziyech’s ball in from a corner wasn’t dealt with and made it’s way to Chilwell at the back post, who’s volley towards goal was pushed away by Ramsdale, who did well after seeing it late.
HT: Chelsea 2-1 Sheffield United
Second Half
As the second half began the Blues were almost gifted an opportunity to cement their lead, with Kovacic running clean through on goal after a misplaced header from Enda Stevens. Not exactly blessed with real pace, Kovacic was eventually caught by his man just before squaring it to Werner, who would’ve had a near enough open goal to tap home into.
Ever the precarious scoreline, Chelsea were keen to extend the 2-1 lead as soon as possible and were looking dangerous going forwards.
The home side came close to making it three on two occasions in quick succession, as Ziyech cut inside from the right and tried to whip one into the far corner, which needed deflecting behind for a corner after looking goal bound. The resulting corner almost ended up in a scrambled second goal for Abraham however Sheffield bodies were there to block it again.
Next to go close was Kovacic, a player who has struggled for starts recently but looked extremely influential on the night, who almost converted into the bottom corner from the edge of the box after a quick counter attack.
The game was now in its final 20 minutes and with only a one goal lead to defend and a track record of losing points from these positions under Lampard, it was now crucial that Chelsea either shut up shop or scored another – but most importantly, that they got the three points regardless of how.
Frank Lampard’s first change came through force rather than choice, as Kovacic, one of the best players on the pitch on the night, picked up a knock and was replaced by Jorginho. It was perhaps a change that wouldn’t have been too far away from naturally happening, with Jorginho’s game controlling qualities a valuable asset late on in the game.
With so many points from these sort of positions being lost last season, Chelsea’s young squad may have suffered from a lack of leaders on the pitch, and with the game still in the balance, an undisputed leader stepped up and made the points sure.
Crossing in a free-kick from a deep wide position was Ziyech, similar to the position he scored from at Stamford Bridge for Ajax last year, and it was Thiago Silva who made the run to get in front of his man and glance it in to the corner to make it 3-1 – ‘El Monstro’ had arrived.
The visitors Sheffield barely had a chance to breathe and take in the third goal before they looked up to see Werner baring down on their goal. The German had been found by yet another perfectly weighted Ziyech through ball, however his chipped effort, his first real chance of the evening, trickled just wide.
No one would have been more annoyed about that missed chance than Werner himself, and after using that moment to get his eye in, he wasn’t about to let another chance go begging. Sheffield midfielder Lowe was unfortunate as his attempted ball forward rebounded off Kanté, falling into the path of Werner, who made no mistake this time as he didn’t even look up before smashing it past Ramsdale.
That five minute period was a testament to the attacking threat that Chelsea’s star studded front line now pose, who had the ability to convert twice in quick succession after appearing to be struggling to put the game to bed earlier in the second half.
Full Time: Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United
Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United: Player Ratings
Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United: Final Thoughts
The progress from last season should now be clear to see for everyone, with the goals now flowing for Lampard’s side and the rear guard action much improved, despite not claiming a clean sheet. I think all of us would have took Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United before the start!
The result sees Chelsea move up to third place in the table, one point behind current leaders Southampton.
Written by Dom Domaingue
Edited by Rob Pratley